The Turkish interior minister has identified the Istanbul bomber as a militant with links to the Islamic State extremist group.

Efkan Ala told reporters on March 20 that the bomber had been identified as Turkish citizen Mehmet Ozturk, born in 1992 in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep.

Five other suspects have been detained on suspicion of links to the March 19 attack in a central Istanbul shopping district, where the suicide bomber killed himself and four others.

At least 36 people were injured.

Ala said the man had not been on the list of wanted persons, defending the authorities against accusations of security failings following six major attacks since July that have killed over 200 people in the country.